Look at the following slides.

They show how Bid Science can take a long-winded bid answer and turn it into something much better: an answer that uses far fewer words to say more.

At first glance, the bid answer on slide two might seem ok. It’s grammatically correct and has no spelling mistakes. However the answer is much too long. It also lacks a clear message. Worst of all, it isn’t very persuasive.

Then look at our reworded version on slide three. Although this version contains the same information as the answer on slide one, it’s now shorter, easier to read and much more convincing.

Slide four tells you how we did it.

Briefly describe your risk management techniques and state why they are appropriate for delivering the Southampton Light Railway project

Risk management

For the £250m Southampton Light Railway project we will utilise probabilistic risk management techniques originally configured for complex engineered technological entities such as airliners or nuclear power stations.

These systematic, data-driven processes enabled us to deliver over £127m-worth of contracts to schedule and within budgetary constraints last year. They define risk in terms of magnitude and probability and utilise human reliability analyses and common-cause-failure analyses to identify and quantify system vulnerabilities. We know these systems work: they are utilised by organisations including NASA, Airbus, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Pfizer.

Our techniques are supported by Active Agenda, the world’s pre-eminent operational risk management (ORM) program. It is an open-source risk-management tool that includes over 100 interchangeable and fully customisable modules. It is a web-based, multi-user-enabled application that uses a MySQL code generator that enables the rapid development of extensions to core applications. This software facilitates web-actuated full-spectrum risk framework re-definition using real-time project data sets. We believe that this ensures they are as realistic as possible.

In real-world comparisons, risk management techniques based on Active Agenda show 2.3% greater internal consistency reliability than those based on the next-best ORM software. Consequently, although it is new to the UK it is already utilised by paramount US corporations including Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard and Lockheed Martin.

Last year we garnered five RoSPA gold awards: two for our Sunderland City Tramway Overpass Project and one each for our Milton Keynes Pedestrianisation Scheme, our Aberdeen Municipal Commercial Footways Project and our Docklands Light Railways Work Package 9 Extension. Our risk management also delivered the lowest accident frequency rate in the industry.

Briefly describe your risk management techniques and state why they are appropriate for delivering the Southampton Light Railway project

Ensuring effective risk management using proven processes and cutting-edge software

Complex projects require excellent risk management. The Southampton Light Railway will be a £250m multidisciplinary project built in the heart of a major city. Our proven risk management processes and cutting-edge software will ensure we deliver it safely, on time and to budget.

Last year we completed over £127m-worth of contracts on time and to budget, won five RoSPA gold awards and achieved the lowest accident frequency rate in the industry.

Proven processes We use probabilistic risk management processes originally designed for large-scale, complex projects such as airliners or nuclear power stations. These processes are proven to work: they are used by organisations including NASA, Airbus and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Cutting-edge software Our processes are supported by Active Agenda, the most accurate operational risk management (ORM) software available. Its web-based format allows staff to update risk models as soon as new operational data is available. This keeps them as realistic as possible. In real-world comparisons, risk management processes based on Active Agenda are 2.3% more reliable than those based on the next-best ORM software. Consequently, although Active Agenda is new to the UK it is already used by top US corporations including Coca-cola, Hewlett Packard and Lockheed Martin.

We transformed slide two into slide three using tried-and-tested writing techniques and a few clever tricks based on psychology and linguistics. These techniques and tricks included:

• cutting out redundant text;
• using plain English to create an overall impression of intelligence and competence;
• eliminating jargon;
• making ourselves maximally agentive (ok, sometimes jargon is unavoidable);
• increasing readability through use of consistent terminology, linking adverbials and anaphoric reference;
• using a few classic rhetorical techniques.

We used other techniques too, but we don’t want to give away all our secrets for free. If you want to find out what else we can do, get in touch via our contact page.